Saturday, November 21, 2009

Girija returns from Singapore; other details

By Bhola B Rana

Kathmandu, 22 Nov: Ailing Nepali Congress Girija Prasad Koirala,86, returns Sunday from Singapore where he underwent medical tests at a hospital.Maoist Chairman had suddenly flown there last week for political consultations to break a political impasse; he held discussions there with Indian academician Prof S.D. Muni who is believed to be an Indian government operative.The discussions created backlash after Prachanda predicted a fall of the Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal government.Nepali Congress parliamentary party met and issued support to the Nepal government.Maoists will lunch fresh month-long anti-government protests Sunday even though they decided to stop house disruptions for three days but hope to discuss and end on the impasse with Koirala after his return.Maoist parliamentary party meeting Sunday endorsed the central committee decision to launch fresh protests and not to temporarily disrupt house proceedings Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday.The parliamentary party decided boycott the house for three days.Maoists had been disrupting proceedings for five months.nnnn

Second road link with Tibet

Kathmandu, 22 Nov: Chinese Ambassador Quo Guohang Saturday said that track along the Syaphrubensi-Rasuwagadhi stretch of Kerung would be constructed within a month, RSS reports.Talking to RSS after his inspection visit to the site, Ambassador Quo said different physical infrastructures including customs office would be prepared after the road construction.He hoped the area’s economic and social development after the completion of the 16 km road.Ambassador Quo said the road would be graveled within three years.(Note: The road will be the second linking Nepal and Tibet after the Kathmandu-Kodari highway.)Nnnn

Sood again in Mustang

Kathmandu, 22 Nov: Rakesh Sood, Indian ambassador to Nepal, visited upper Mustang, along with Umesh Nath Panjuyar, Secretary, Ministry of Water Resources, India, to study the feasibility of hydropower projects on Saturday, The Himalayan Times reports from Myaghi. There were five persons from Nepal in the team, including Shanker Prasad Koirala, Secretary, Ministry of Water Resources.The team was flown to Mustang in a special helicopter of Nepal Army.Umessh Kumar Ghimere, Secretary, Ministry of Energy, said the team observed 12-kilowatt hydropower station in Ranipouwa of Muktinath VDC and returned to Pokhara by 12 noon.(Note: The visit is Sood’s second to Mustang north of the Himalaya in nearly two months. India is trying to build a presence in the area along the sensitive Nepal-Tibet border amid Chinese concerns.)Nnnn

TRADE, COMMERCE, ECOMONY

KFC, Pizza Hut come to Nepal

Kathmandu, 22 Nov: The first outlet of Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) and its sister restaurant-chain, Pizza Hut, is being inaugurated in the capital Sunday. The eatery is located at the Annapurna Complex on Durbar Marg.Chicken is being imported from Brazil.nnnn

MEDIA GOOGLE

“How can a majority government be a puppet?”

(PM Nepal, The Himalayan Times, 22 Nov.)

“The peace agreement says Maoist combatants and their weapons will be managed in six months. Regular recruitment in the national army can’t be stopped three years after the provision in the agreement hasn’t been implemented.”

(Defence Minister Bidya Bhandari, The Himalayan Times, 22 Nov.)

“Prachanda resigned as prime minister without a majority in parliament. It’s unconstitutional to demand civilian supremacy after losing majority in parliament.”